Swivel pipe wrench



April 30, 1968 G. G. KESSLER 3,380,325

SWIVEL FIFE WRENCH Filed Nov. 30, 1966 INVENTOR GT1 Li b G. Kessler ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,380,325 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 3,380,325 SWIVEL PIPE WRENCH Gottlieb G. Kessler, Anamoose, N. Dak. 58710 Filed Nov. 30, 1966,. Ser. No. 597,924 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-100) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pipe wrench having an elongated handle with a pair of enlarged head members in parallel relation with one another, a U-shaped strap pivotally mounted to the head members, a jaw having a lateral leg portion with the lateral leg portion slidably inserted within the U-shaped strap member and with-in the head members with one edge of the leg portion adjacent the apex of the U-shaped strap and the other edge adjacent the pivotal mounting, a collar adapted to be threaded onto the remote ends of the lateral leg portion for abutting the one edge of the head member thereby limiting the movement of the jaw members away from the opposite edges of the head member,'said jaw and lateral leg portion and being adapted to pivot about said pivotal mounting with said U-shaped strap to enable said jaw and head members to receive objects there between at various angles about the head members.

This invention relates to tools, more particularly, the invention relates to wrenches and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel pipe wrench which can be adjusted to different angles to couple and uncouple piping in cramped quarters.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel wrench which has one jaw which can pivot or swivel about the other jaw to provide a wrench engaging surface at different angles in relation to the wrench handle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel wrench which may be used to connect and disconnect structure in close or cramped quarters.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the swivel jaw pipe wrench invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the swivel jaw pipe wrench invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the swivel pipe wrench invention, illustrating the one jaw of the wrench pivoted to different working positions about the fixed jaw of the wrench invention.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a pipe wrench having one jaw adapted to pivot about a second jaw fixed to a handle, with the second jaw providing a continuous engaging surface about an are greater than 180 degrees for the pivotal jaw to confront and cooperate with to engage a pipe to a section therebetween and rotate the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG- URE 1, the pipe wrench invention is illustrated as having a handle 21. A jaw 22 is fixed to the forward end of the handle. The jaw 22 formed of a pair of flange members 22' and 22". A pair of bolts 23 and 23' pass through the flange members 22 and 22" and the handle 21 and a cotter key 24 locks the flange members 22 and 22', handle 21 and bolts together in fixed relation.

A bolt 25 passes through the central portion of the flange members 22' and 22" and a nut 26 is threaded onto the end of the bolt. A metal sleeve 27 passes over the bolt and fits between the flanges 22 and 22'. A U-shaped plate 28 is pivotally mounted to the sleeve about the axis of the bolt 25.

A jaw and arm member 29 having a jaw 30 and an arm portion 30 is slidably mounted to the U-shaped plate 28, so as to move between the sleeve 27 and along the folded back 28' of the U-shaped plate 28 in a rectilinear direction toward and away from the edges of the rounded jaw 22. The jaw and arm member 29 will pivot about the axis of the bolt 25, in the sleeve 28.

Operation The jaw 30 of the swivel pipe wrench invention may be positioned in three different positions 31, 32, and 33 in relation to the rounded jaw 22 and a pipe engaged therebetween. I

When the jaw 30 is in the position shown in solid lines and designated by numeral 31, a pipe may be engaged and grasped between the edge 34 of jaw 30' and the rounded edges 35 and 35' of the rounded jaw 22 of the wrench.

When the jaw 30 is in the position illustrated in phantom lines and designated by numeral 32, the pipe may be engaged between straight edges 36 and 36' of the rounded jaw 22 and edge 34 of jaw 30 of the wrench.

When the jaw 30 is in the position illustrated in phantom lines and designated by numeral 33, a pipe may be engaged by edge 34 of the jaw 30 and straight edges 3737' of rounded jaw 22 of the wrench.

The jaw 30 may pivot from position 32 to 33 counterclockwise by passing between neck portions 39 and 40 and by closing the jaw 30 toward the rounded jaw.

When the jaw 30 is pivoted to position 31 for coupling and uncoupling a pipe, the jaw and arm member 29 may be slid rectilinearly in the U-shaped plate 28 away from the rounded jaw 22 until the collar 41, which collar is threaded over the arm portion 30', abuts the rear edges 38 and 38' of the rounded jaw 22. The pipe to be threaded or unthreaded will be wedged between edges 35 and 35 of the rounded jaw 22 and edge 34 of the jaw 30.

When the jaw 30 is pivoted to position 32 for coupling and uncoupling a pipe, the collar 41 will abut straight edges 37 and 37' of the rounded jaw when a pipe is wedged between the edge 34 of the jaw and the edges 36 and 36 of the rounded jaw.

When thejaw 30 is pivoted to position 33, the collar 41 will abut the straight edges 36 and 36 of jaw 22, when the pipe is wedged between the straightedge 34 of jaw 30 and the edges 37 and 37 of the rounded jaw 22. The collar 41 may be threaded along arm members 31 in either direction to adjust to different size pipes.

Thus, in cramped space where the pipe can not be reached when the jaw is in one position, the jaw 30 and its U-shaped plate may be rotated to any of the other positions 36, 37, and 38 or some position between 36 and 37 and 37 and 38, and one of these positions, in many cases, will enable the jaws to engage the pipe so that the wrench may be used to couple and uncouple pipes.

Thus, it will be seen that a novel wrench has been provided which may be used in cramped quarters.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and accordingly it is not intended that the invention be limited to that specifically described in the specification or illustrated in the drawing but only as set forth in the appended claims wherein:

What is claimed is:

l. A pipe wrench comprising an elongated handle having a pair of enlarged head members at one end of said handle in parallel relation to one another, a channel free to pivot thereabouts, a jawhavin'g a lateral leg por tion with said lateral leg portion slidably mounted within said channel members and head members between said pivotal mountings and the apex of said channel member, collar means threaded onto said lateral leg portion for limiting the movement of the lateral leg portion and jaw member away from said head members, said jaw and lateral leg portion being adapted to pivot about said pivotal mountings with said channel member to enable said jaw and head members to receive objects therebetween at various angles about the head members.

2. A pipe wrench according to claim 1 wherein said head members are elongated in the direction of the length of said handle.

3. A pipe wrench comprising an elongated handle 'having enlarged head means, a channel member pivotally mounted to said head means and free to pivot thereabouts, a jaw having a lateral leg portion with said lateral leg portion slidab-ly mounted within said channel members between said pivotal mountings and the apex of saidchannel member, collar means threaded onto said lateral leg portion for limiting the movement of the lateral leg portion and jaw member away from said head means, said jaw and lateral leg portion being adapted to pivot about said pivotal mounting with said channel member to enable said jaw and head means to receive objects therebetween at various angles about the head means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,741 1/1883 Gajar 81-102 511,155 12/1893 -Merritt 81102 814,343 3/1906 Austin 81-98 1,184,989 5/1916 Perkins 81-100 MILTON S. MEI-IR, Prim'ory Examiner. 

